Bears Still Chicago's Most Valuable Sports Team...Barely

Published at 11:39 AM CDT on Jul 12, 2017

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The Chicago Bears remain the toast of the town when it comes to how much the franchise is worth, but there’s another team in the Windy City that is nipping at their heels.

According to a new valuation released by Forbes Magazine, the Bears are still the most valuable sports franchise in Chicago, with an estimated value of $2.7 billion. That number puts them at number 16 among the 50 most valuable franchises in the world, according to the magazine.

They are the eighth-most valuable NFL franchise, as the league owns eight of the top 16 spots on the countdown.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs are nipping at their heels in the 18th spot, with an estimated value of $2.68 billion. Their value soared by 22 percent over the last calendar year, largely thanks to the team’s World Series victory and thanks to the improvements made around Wrigley Field.

Areas like the Park at Wrigley, and the massive new shopping center that stands next to it, are driving the team’s rise in value, and it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that they could make up the remaining $200 million that they still trail the Bears by.

Only three MLB teams are more valuable than the Cubs, with the Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox all still ahead of the North Siders.

The Chicago Bulls are the third and final Windy City team to appear on the list, checking in at number 22 with an estimated value of $2.5 billion. That number is a nine percent increase from a year ago, and although they dropped four spots in this year’s rankings, it still puts them among the most valuable NBA franchises.

Only teams like the Knicks, Lakers, and Warriors are still ahead of Chicago on the list.

With the NFL’s massive television deals and the team’s worldwide popularity, the Dallas Cowboys remain the most valuable franchise in the world, worth an estimated $4.2 billion. The New York Yankees ($3.7 billion), Manchester United ($3.69 billion), FC Barcelona ($3.64 billion), and Real Madrid ($3.58 billion) round out the top five.